GENEVA / SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR IRAN

In his report to the Human Rights Council today, the Special Rapporteur on Iran Ahmed Shaheed expressed concern about the use of capital punishment and impunity in Iran. He called for transparency in the country and for more cooperation with the international community. OHCHR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:28
• Production Date: 12 March 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: IRAN
• MAMS Id: U120312g

Description

STORY: GENEVA / SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR IRAN
TRT: 2:28
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 9 MARCH 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / RECENT

Shotlist

RECENT – GENEVA

1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations

9 MARCH 2012, GENEVA

2. Med shot, Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed with UN Human Rights staff member
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Specia Rapporteur on Iran, United Nations:
“Often lawyers aren’t there to defend them properly. Sometimes trials last a very short duration and often the crimes for which people are being put to death do not figure as serious crimes in international law. So I do have a number of concerns about the use of capital punishment and deficits of the rule of law and also impunity. And also you find perpetrators of offences are not accountable, are not held into account for their actions even when on occasion the government finds there are issues to be examined.”
4. Cutaway, Shaheed walking
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Specia Rapporteur on Iran, United Nations:
“There is no transparency in what is happening in Iran. Iran should cooperate more openly with the international community – in terms of the human rights obligations it has. And I am calling upon them to become more transparent in how they are implementing their own obligations under international law and their recommendations they undertook voluntarily in the UPR (Universal Periodic Review) review two years ago.”
6. Cutaway, Shaheed walking
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Specia Rapporteur on Iran, United Nations:
“Iran should come more clear on what the actual charges for which these people are being executed. We have evidence that some of these charges may not what they actually appear to be. We may have people put on drug offences when they actually may have been involved in innocent activity.”
8. Close up, flag

Storyline

In his report to the Human Rights Council today, the Special Rapporteur on Iran Ahmed Shaheed expressed concern about the use of capital punishment and impunity in Iran. He called for transparency in the country and for more cooperation with the international community.

In an interview ahead of his report, Shaheed said that an estimated 600 people were executed in Iran last year (2011) citing the number as a result of very poor due process.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Specia Rapporteur on Iran, United Nations:
“Often lawyers aren’t there to defend them properly. Sometimes trials last very short duration and often the crimes for which people are being put to death, do not figure as serious crimes in international law. So I do have a number of concerns about the use of capital punishment and deficits of the rule of law and also impunity. And also you find perpetrators of offences are not accountable, are not held into account for their actions even when on occasion the government finds there are issues to be examined.”
He said that Iran needs to have better arrangements for the elections this year and that the major concern is the lack of transparency.

“There is no transparency in what is happening in Iran. Iran should cooperate more openly with the international community, in terms of the human rights obligations it has. And I am calling upon them to become more transparent in how they are implementing their own obligations under international law and their recommendations they undertook voluntarily in the UPR (Universal Periodic Review) review two years ago.”

The Independent expert singled out the high rate of executions citing it as a violation of the rule of law.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Shaheed, Specia Rapporteur on Iran, United Nations:
“Iran should come more clear on what the actual charges for which these people are being executed. We have evidence that some of these charges may not what they actually appear to be. We may have people put on drug offences when they actually may have been involved in innocent activity.”

Shaheed who is about to end his one year term as the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran has not been able to visit the country since his appointment by the UN Human Rights Council. Although he said this was a “big obstacle” in carrying out his work, he was able to find information on Iran from source within the country.